African Development Bank Chief Tours Kampala Road Rehabilitation Project, Emphasizes Climate Resilience
(From centre-right) The AfDB’s Climate Change and Green Growth Director Anthony Nyong; Climate Change Expert Muthoni Nduhiu; Principal Climate Change Officer Olufunso Somorin; and Joash Moitui, Communications Lead for AAAP, with a Project Team for the Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation Project
Professor Anthony Nyong, Director for Climate Change and Green Growth at the African Development Bank, conducted a site visit to the Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation Project on Monday, July 15, 2024. The visit aimed to assess the project’s progress and reiterate the Bank’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s efforts to build climate-resilient infrastructure.
The $275 million project, launched in 2019, seeks to transform Kampala’s road network, alleviate congestion, and enhance the city’s resilience to climate-related disasters. The initiative is part of the African Development Bank’s broader strategy to support sustainable development in Africa, with a focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation.
During the tour, Prof. Nyong was accompanied by Engineer Justus Akankwasa, Director of Engineering and Technical Services at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), and other officials from the Bank and KCCA. The team inspected the project’s various components, including road upgrades, drainage improvements, and tree-planting initiatives.
Prof. Nyong emphasized the importance of integrating climate resilience into urban infrastructure development, citing the devastating impacts of climate-related disasters on African cities. “Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it’s a harsh reality that demands immediate action,” he said. “The African Development Bank is committed to supporting Uganda’s efforts to build a sustainable and climate-resilient future.”
The project has faced implementation delays, resulting in an extension of the completion deadline to December 2027. However, Prof. Nyong expressed confidence in the project’s potential to transform Kampala’s infrastructure and set a benchmark for climate-resilient urban development in Africa.
The African Development Bank has mobilized $275 million for the project, with the Global Environment Facility and the Government of Uganda jointly contributing $5 million. The project’s implementation progress currently stands at approximately 28.4%.
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